Don't Move
by SuperGroverAway
Summary: Over the years, Dipper has faced terrors and ordeals the likes of which few can even begin to conceive. Yet now all his past experience seems to be for naught as he finds himself in circumstances where he can barely keep it together. Will he hold out? Or will he crack under the pressure? (Future-Pines)


Still as a stone. That was the name of the game. As long as he didn't move a single muscle, then he was going to be okay.

At least, that's what he hoped.

Dipper allowed himself a deep breath. Only a split second later he reflexively sucked in as he tried to take it back and undo the noise he had just made. Suddenly every single muscle in his scrawny body was so tightly tensed that they hurt. Was that too loud? Had he already done himself in?

A bead of nervous sweat trickled down his forehead. The seconds ticked by at a snail's pace. A mere half minute felt like a solid hour of anxious agony. Thankfully, his fear turned out to be all for nothing. He was still okay. For now.

It would have been an overstatement to say that he was able to relax. His entire body was as rigid and stiff as could be as he kept on the highest level of hyper-alertness.

He could practically feel his heart thudding furiously against his rib cage. It seemed to pound so loudly that for a panicked second he genuinely thought the deafening racket would spoil it all. Its speedy beat suddenly felt like a chorus of kettledrums banging away, filling the air with a deafening pounding.

Dipper violently shook his head from side to side. He needed to get a hold of himself. Of all people, he knew that completely succumbing to his anxiety never did him absolutely no favors whatsoever. Yes, he had to admit that it had served him well at times. However, he needed to draw a solid line between being on guard and being overwhelmed by full-blown paranoia. Being ready for whatever life could throw his way? Good. Expecting the very worst at an given second? Not so good.

He started by allowing himself one long deep breath. As he should have guessed, the world didn't automatically end. He was still very much okay. Dipper allowed himself another as he worked to get a grip on himself. He was going to get through this. He was definitely going to get through this. After all, he was Dipper Pines.

Who did battle with a shape shifting terror inside an abandoned underground bunker? He did.

Who had been forced into the future, only to win a life-or-death tournament? He had.

Who took down the feared Multi-Bear wearing only a scrap of cloth and armed with a spear? He did.

Who jumped head first into a gigantic robot and disabled its pilot in fierce hand-to-hand combat? He did. _That's_ who. He had done all of that, and so much more.

Each memory added a bit of kindling to the spark of confidence. The reality check allowed his breathing to ease. His heart no longer threatened to beat clean through his ribcage. He was going to be okay. He could get through this. He was going to be just fine-

"I'm baaaa-aaaaack!" A young woman sang as she joyously tromped into her kitchen. Dipper erupted with a startled gasp that was several pitches too shrill for his liking.

"Mabel!"

"Hey there, bro-bro!" His toothy-smiled sister poke her head into the living room. "How's my-"

Pure unadulterated terror coursed through him as he frantically shushed her. "_Shhhhhhh_! I just got them to sleep ten minutes ago!"

"Whoops!" Mabel quickly toned it down Without further ado, she dropped her gym bag, and bounced over to where he sat on her sofa. Dipper didn't budge a single inch as he cradled her one-month old twins in his arms. The sight gave such a boost to her grin that it now stretched across the width of her face.

"Hi, hun-buns!" She lovingly cooed to her sleeping infants. "Did you guys have fun together while Mommy was at yoga?"

Dipper jolted with terror when she snatched them out of his arms. Thankfully, neither her little boy or girl so much as stirred as she cuddled them close and gave them a wet kiss on the forehead each. Neither did they wake up when she sat happily plopped down on the sofa.

"Uh huh, we sure did! Didn't we, Uncle Dipper?" The young mother switched her voice to a comically cutesy squeak as she made her children "talk."

"Yeah….fun." Now that the responsibility of two infants no longer rested entirely on his shoulders, Dipper practically deflated with relief. His sister immediately burst out giggling like mad at the sight he cut, and he couldn't care one bit. It was over.

"We made it." He sighed happily.

"Oh relax, Mister Worry-Butt." She affectionately nudged him. "I told you that you could handle a little bit of babysitting…."

* * *

Just another little "future-Pines" ficlet. Hoep you enjoyed! - **SGA**


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